About

Learn about heritage from the various perspectives of the arts, the social sciences and the sciences. The programme brings University College Utrecht students in contact with cultural institutions, where they gain experience of and can contribute to managing, preserving, researching, and exhibiting cultural heritage. 

CHIP students on an excursion to the Rijksmuseum during its renovation.

Cultural heritage is about the various things, places and practices that people want to keep and pass on to the next generation. It ranges from monumental Amsterdam house interiors to the mediaeval Lebinius Codex in the Catharijneconvent. Other examples are the Aboriginal Australian artefacts dating from the time of Cook’s voyages, now in the British Museum; or the beautiful plant specimens in the Natural History Museum collection in London. Cultural heritage involves selection, classification, preservation, documentation, research, digitalization and display. It also concerns different forms of memory and identity.

Cultural, natural and intangible heritage have increased worldwide to become an intrinsic part of the ways people understand the past and create the future in the present. Heritage precipitates new forms of professional collaboration: artistic creation, innovative curation, design, technological and architectural practices; it is much debated – sometimes contested – and frequently entails consultation with diverse public stakeholders.

History

CHIP's previous website, designed by Boris Cornelissen

CHIP started at University College Utrecht as a grassroots initiative in 2011. A group of lecturers realized that many students would like to contribute to heritage projects in a practical way, and that they learn immeasurably by doing so. Practical experience and research tasks yield rich material to reflect upon and explore further – connecting to the fascinating world of interdisciplinary research. 

Students who have participated in the programme have gone on to a wide range of master and PhD programmes. Some now work in the professional sector - for galleries, museums, and auction houses. The Alumni Advisory Group keeps us in touch with developments in the field and contributes in many ways to the activities and projects for current students. 

CHIP has been partner in the UCU CONNECT and PUUR programmes, with the aim to extend our institutional partners and systematize the research insights we are gradually building up on changing museum practice, from the complementary perspectives of Art History, Anthropology and Science.